The Boeing Company projects the global dedicated freighter fleet will expand by 67% to reach 4,010 aircraft by 2045, driven by e-commerce expansion and high-tech shipments. The forecast, which anticipates 2,930 new and converted freighter deliveries over the next two decades, outpaces a more conservative market outlook issued by European competitor Airbus SE.

Boeing released its 2026 World Air Cargo Forecast (WACF) on October 28, 2026, at the International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) Air Cargo Forum in Miami, Florida. The manufacturer anticipates a 3.5% annual growth rate in air cargo traffic, asserting that dedicated freighters will remain critical to global supply chains despite shifting trade patterns.

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Drivers of long-term cargo demand

According to the WACF, the global freighter fleet will grow from 2,395 aircraft in 2025 to 4,010 by 2045. To meet this demand, operators will require 2,930 deliveries. Boeing notes that 55% of these deliveries will add new capacity to the market, while the remaining 45% will replace older, retiring aircraft.

Passenger-to-freighter conversions will play a dominant role in this expansion, accounting for two-thirds of the projected deliveries over the 20-year period.

Darren Hulst, Vice President of Commercial Marketing for Boeing, stated that as global trade patterns change and demand for time-sensitive, high-value goods grows, dedicated freighters will remain essential to global commerce.

“Air cargo’s adaptability and speed are strategic advantages enabling reliable transport, dynamic rerouting and critical support for evolving supply chains,” Hulst said.

The forecast highlights specific sectors driving this sustained demand. Trade flows touching Asia represent approximately 60% of the global market. Furthermore, the rapid development of artificial intelligence infrastructure is heavily reliant on aviation. Citing data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Boeing noted that 70% of AI-related goods were transported by air in 2025.

Diverging outlooks from major manufacturers

Boeing’s projections present a notably more optimistic view of the dedicated freighter market than those of its primary competitor. On October 21, 2026, Airbus released its 2026 Cargo Global Market Forecast at the Cargo Facts Symposium, projecting the worldwide fleet will reach 3,460 aircraft by 2045.

The Airbus forecast represents a 46% growth from a 2025 baseline of 2,360 aircraft, requiring 2,670 new deliveries. Like Boeing, Airbus expects conversions to make up the majority of these additions, projecting 1,700 passenger-to-freighter conversions over the 20-year period.

The divergence extends to overall traffic growth. While Boeing anticipates a 3.5% annual growth rate in air cargo traffic, Airbus projects a slightly lower annual growth rate of 3.2%. The resulting 550-aircraft difference between the two 2045 fleet projections highlights differing long-term strategic outlooks between the two major aerospace manufacturers.

The structural shift in global freight

The air cargo market is experiencing structural growth driven by e-commerce, direct-to-consumer business models, and the increasing demand for high-tech goods. While goods transported by air represent less than 1% of global trade by volume, they account for roughly one-third of global trade value.

Dedicated main-deck freighters have historically transported approximately 55% of global air cargo traffic, with the remainder carried in the belly holds of passenger aircraft. In 2025, airlines operating dedicated freighter fleets accounted for approximately 90% of the air cargo industry’s total revenue, which reached approximately $170 billion.

AirPro News analysis

We view the 550-aircraft gap between the Boeing and Airbus forecasts as a reflection of their respective historical positions in the cargo market. Boeing has long dominated the dedicated freighter segment with its 767F, 777F, and 747-8F programs, and its higher forecast aligns with a worldview where main-deck freighters remain the undisputed backbone of global logistics. Conversely, Airbus’s more conservative projection of 3,460 dedicated freighters may factor in a greater reliance on belly-cargo capacity, leveraging the extensive cargo volume available in its A350 and A330neo passenger widebody fleets. The differing growth rates also suggest Boeing is weighting the recent surge in e-commerce and AI hardware shipments as a permanent structural acceleration, while Airbus models a slight reversion to historical mean growth.

easyJet (U2) will equip its entire fleet of more than 350 Airbus aircraft with Starlink satellite internet, marking the first time the European low-cost carrier will offer inflight connectivity to its passengers.

In a press release issued on October 26, 2026, the airline confirmed that the hardware rollout will begin in the first half of 2027 and is expected to be completed by early 2028. The agreement aligns easyJet with a growing industry shift toward low-Earth orbit satellite Wi-Fi and introduces a new competitive dynamic among European budget operators.

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Fleetwide deployment and passenger experience

The installation program will cover easyJet’s existing fleet of Airbus A320, Airbus A320neo, and Airbus A321neo aircraft. Once activated, the Starlink system will allow passengers to stream entertainment, play games, browse the internet, and check flight status directly from their seats. The airline also indicated the connectivity could eventually enable passengers to order from the inflight menu via their personal devices.

Kenton Jarvis, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of easyJet, emphasized the importance of the agreement for the airline’s customer base:

“Innovation is in easyJet’s DNA and partnering with SpaceX to bring Starlink’s high-speed internet connectivity onboard for the first time will not only further enhance the experience we provide millions of customers, but means we are offering more of the options both business and leisure travellers want when they choose who they fly with.”

SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Gwynne Shotwell noted that the system will provide fast, reliable connectivity from takeoff to landing, allowing passengers to work or stay in touch without interruption.

Shifting the European low-cost carrier model

Historically, easyJet has avoided offering inflight Wi-Fi. This approach aligned with a traditional low-cost carrier model that eschews ancillary amenities requiring heavy infrastructure investment, prioritizing low fares and fast turnaround times. The airline, which carried 100 million passengers in 2025, operates a point-to-point network of over 1,200 routes connecting 160 airports across 35 countries.

The decision to invest in Starlink follows a similar move by European budget competitor Wizz Air (W6), which signed an agreement for the satellite service in June 2026. According to reporting by Business Insider, the dual adoption by easyJet and Wizz Air leaves Ryanair (FR) as the only major European budget carrier without an inflight Wi-Fi offering. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has previously criticized the technology, arguing in January 2026 that passengers are unwilling to pay for internet on short flights and noting that the aerodynamic drag of the external antenna adds to fuel costs.

Globally, Starlink has rapidly expanded its footprint in commercial aviation. American Airlines (AA) announced a partnership in May 2026 to install the system on over 500 narrowbody aircraft starting in the first quarter of 2027. Qatar Airways (QR) reached a milestone of 150 Starlink-equipped widebody aircraft in August 2026, while United Airlines (UA), Air France (AF), and Hawaiian Airlines (HA) have also adopted the technology.

AirPro News analysis

We view easyJet’s adoption of Starlink as a definitive turning point for passenger expectations in the European short-haul market. By committing to fleetwide connectivity, easyJet and Wizz Air are effectively isolating Ryanair’s position that Wi-Fi is an unnecessary expense for flights averaging under two hours. However, a critical detail remains unconfirmed: easyJet has not specified whether the Starlink service will be complimentary or structured as a paid ancillary. While full-service carriers like United Airlines and Qatar Airways are leveraging Starlink as a free product to drive brand loyalty, low-cost carriers typically monetize such additions. If easyJet charges for access, the uptake rates will provide a clear test of O’Leary’s assertion that budget passengers will not pay for connectivity on short sectors.

Atlantic Airways has committed to an exclusively next-generation fleet by 2030 following a firm order for two additional Airbus A320neo aircraft signed on October 27, 2026, in Toulouse, France. The Faroe Islands’ national carrier will use the new jets to phase out its older Airbus A320ceo models, standardizing its operations around the more fuel-efficient variant.

In a press release issued by Airbus, the manufacturer confirmed the agreement supports the airline’s strategy to streamline maintenance and reduce emissions while maintaining regional connectivity for Faroese communities. The financial terms and specific delivery dates for these two newly ordered airframes were not disclosed.

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Fleet modernization and operational strategy

The transition to a single-variant fleet provides distinct economic advantages for regional operators. By standardizing on the Airbus A320neo, Atlantic Airways can simplify its maintenance planning and streamline pilot training processes. The A320neo variant delivers at least a 20 percent reduction in fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions compared to previous-generation single-aisle aircraft.

Niels Mortensen, Chairman of the Board for Atlantic Airways, emphasized the strategic nature of the acquisition.

“Our ambition is to operate an exclusively A320neo aircraft fleet in the near future, and this agreement marks a significant step towards achieving that goal,” Mortensen said. “This investment will help ensure the continuous renewal of our fleet while supporting efficient operations.”

Airbus executives highlighted the role of the aircraft in maintaining essential transport links. Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Executive Vice President of Sales for the Commercial Aircraft business at Airbus, noted that the addition of the latest generation aircraft reinforces the airline’s commitment to regional connectivity.

Atlantic Airways’ transition timeline

The Faroe Islands flag carrier has been an Airbus customer since 2008. The airline began its current modernization program when it took delivery of its first Airbus A320neo on July 12, 2019. The carrier currently operates a fleet of four Airbus A320 Family aircraft, split evenly between two older-generation A320ceos and two A320neos.

Prior to the October 2026 announcement, Atlantic Airways already held orders for two additional A320neos. Those airframes are scheduled for delivery in 2028 and 2029. The two newly ordered aircraft will complete the replacement cycle, allowing the airline to retire its remaining A320ceos and meet its 2030 target for an all-neo fleet.

The Airbus A320 Family remains the most popular single-aisle aircraft program globally. According to Airbus, the aircraft family has secured more than 20,400 orders from operators worldwide.